After surveying 713 fathers, researchers at the University of Michigan found that 2 in 3 dads were criticized for how they discipline their kids, while 2 in 5 dads were criticized for what they feed their kids. Other areas of criticism focused on a child’s appearance and sleep habits.

Over a quarter of fathers polled said this criticism made them feel less confident in their parenting abilities. And 1 in 5 felt discouraged from being involved in parenting their children.

Researchers say these findings may reflect gender stereotypes, wherein mothers are viewed as competent caregivers and fathers as less capable.

Taylor Bennett

Taylor Bennett is a staff writer at Thriveworks. She devotes herself to distributing important information about mental health and wellbeing, writing mental health news and self-improvement tips daily. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism, with minors in professional writing and leadership from Virginia Tech. She is a co-author of Leaving Depression Behind: An Interactive, Choose Your Path Book and has published content on Thought Catalog, Odyssey, and The Traveling Parent.